I am thinking about asking my girlfriend to marry me. She has somewhat expensive taste. I am not rich, but I can afford between ~1000 and 2000 without having to wait several months. What are some things I need to consider when getting her a ring. What is the best cut for an engagement ring. How much will it cost to readjust the ring if it doesn’t fit? Where is the best place to buy a ring?
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Stick to your budget, choose something pretty you think she might like.
Don’t worry about size – they usually come in a standard size, usually 7, and the place you buy it would most probably resize it free if needed. If not, it costs about $25 to get it done, more if it has to be made way bigger if they need to add lots of extra gold.
Personally, I’m not a fan of a solitaire, the one stone ring, though lots of women do like it. I think a round brilliant is the prettiest stone, but the princess cut is a current fad.
One thing maybe to consider first though, is buying a set with both the engagement ring and wedding band – then you are ensured that they match/fit with one another.
Just some ideas -http://www.ice.com/rings/anniversary-dia…http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104…http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104…
Zales had an additional 30% off the price shownhttp://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?p…
I think this is lovely – the heart -http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?p…
You should only get what you can afford *without* incurring debt.
With that said, try online resources to save $$$. Read the stuff and educate yourself about diamonds so that you don’t get ripped off.
You’d be surprised how many sales people don’t know a thing about diamonds, yet they have a job at the jewelery store!
Anyway, I got my wife’s ring at Diamond Brokers of Florida:http://www.dbof.com/http://www.diamondring.com/forums/forumd…
Or you could check out these other online sources:
http://www.WhiteFlash.com
http://www.GoodOldGold.com
http://www.ExcelDiamonds.com
http://www.BlueNile.com
Blue Nile’s database is good, but they don’t provide you with photos or analysis reports of the diamond. I wouldn’t go with them for that reason.
Happy hunting.
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it’s good you figured out your budget. now research the 4 c’s and find out what the best quality diamonds are that you can afford with that $$$$. as for what cut to get, you have to consult her style in jewelry. look at other rings she has to see what shape she likes and whether she likes solitaire or multi stone settings. if the ring is too big, it’s just a nominal fee to get it sized, that’s not a big deal. just go to your local jewelry stores and shop around.
Here my opinion of the engagement ring. Marriage for me is forever, so why pay 1000’s of dollars on a ring that can be replace 5, 10, 20 years later. My ring cost $1500 (sadly saw the receipt when we got it sized.) Love my ring and would not trade it in for another. Well maybe in a few years for an anniversary present. =P
Going with a unpopular shape of the diamond will make it cheaper. I believe a pear shaped is the best bet. As for sizing, if you go through a jewelry they should do it for free. Good Luck!
Spend only what you can afford. She will have to adjust to what you can provide if not what a crappy life for you.
If she loves you she will be thrilled that you asked and be happy with whatever you can afford.
If she can’t live in the budget you have think twice before marrying her.
I second Butterfly’s answer.
If your fiance complains that you spent too little on her engagement ring, then it may be time to reconsider the marriage, before it’s too late.
True love will focus on what matters, the ring is just a piece of metal that people put way too much emphasis on.
My ring is $400. But I love it! He wanted to buy me a $1000 dollar ring, but I didn’t like it.
Point of the story, If it is in her style then py the price. But if there is one that is less that is more her style get that. Its about what she would like.
The ring should not matter, if the love is there it will not even matter to her what the ring looks like or how expensive it is….that is just my opinion.
bigger is not always better id rather have a small nice diamond than a large crappy one
My brother-in-law had an engagement ring resized last year, made smaller by two or three sizes, and it cost $30 at a mall jewelry store, one of the national chains.
The best cut for an engagement ring is up to personal taste. Look at the jewelry she wears when she “dresses up” for clues–round, square (princess cut), oval, etc? If you still aren’t certain, here’s a link to an article that matches personalities with their ideal engagement ring shapes (http://guide.diamondpriceguru.com/diamon… Just beware of the “everyone wants round” feeling you might get when you see that 75% of the diamonds in stores and online are round. Rounds are fairly common but they are about average price (article link below)
And don’t worry about the price–$1,000 is plenty for a very nice engagement ring. Figure about 30% of that for the setting (unless you want something fancier). So, set aside $700 for the diamond, and play around on a site like http://www.diamondpriceguru.com/ where you can move the levers around and it will find the diamonds that match what you want. That site looks at about 10 different diamond retailers (including the big names, but also Amazon.com, so the prices are competitive). Set the limit at $700 (or whatever you pick) and see what’s available.
I hope this helps.